Gary Gait scored nine goals and Del Halladay added eight assists as the Washington Power shook off the early threats of the expansion New Jersey Storm and ran to victory, 21-9, Saturday night at Capital Centre.

After taking a surprising 5-4 lead after one quarter, up by a pair at one point, the Storm fell apart in the second period. Needless to say, where there's a nine-goal quarter, as there was tonight, the Gait brothers aren't far behind. Gary had five goals in the period, including a late strike assisted by twin brother Paul, once of six helpers on the evening for the retiring great.

"I think we took them a little lightly when we first came out," Power coach Darris Kilgour said. "But once we started flexing our muscles, we took charge."

Shades of last season's ugly 9-7 loss at home to the Columbus Landsharks? Certainly, except this time, Washington was able to wake up and put away the first-year challengers.

With the loss, the Storm falls to 0-1 under new head coach Jim Brady, who took over for the fired Jim Hinkson on Thursday.

All four goalies in uniform saw duty before the night was done -- Derek General briefly relieved Storm starter Matt Roik in the third, but, curiously, despite not allowing any goals, General went back to the bench after less than three minutes of action. At the other end, Kilgour rewarded Dalep with a quarter off, sending Erik Miller out to man the net in the final frame.

However, Miller was not afforded the luxury of an easy fifteen minutes to secure the win. New Jersey came after the Salisbury State grad with everything in its arsenal, and Miller rose to the occasion, with twenty-two saves on twenty-three shots. Only Cam Bomberry busrt through the wall, netting his second goal of the night.

Despite efforts to set Gary Gait up for his tenth goal of the evening, tying a record he and his brother share (Paul did it in 1994, Gary in 1999), it wasn't to be. Not that he didn't have some chances at it, firing eighteen shots on the Storm goal and even getting a play drawn up for him during a last-minute timeout.

"I just couldn't put it in -- that's disappointing," he said. "You're always playing hard until the end -- no matter who you play, that's the mindset you have."

Washington improves to 2-1 on the season after the victory, breaking out of a tie for second place in the Eastern Division. A Saints loss tomorrow would put Washington into a tie with New York for first place. New Jersey, meanwhile, sinks to 1-4, worst in the division and twelfth overall out of thirteen teams.

BOX SUMMARY
                                      1  2  3  4     TOT
New Jersey Storm (1-4)                5  1  2  1  --   9
Washington Power (2-1)                4  9  4  4  --  21

NEW JERSEY STORM              WASHINGTON POWER
               G - A   PTS                   G - A   PTS
Ca Bomberry    2 - 1     3    G Gait         9 - 3    12
D Squire       1 - 2     3    Halladay       2 - 8    10
Stewart        1 - 2     3    Cantebene      2 - 5     7
T Kilgour      2 - 0     2    P Gait         1 - 6     7
Sombrotto      2 - 0     2    Shearer        3 - 1     4
LeFeurve       1 - 1     2    Wills          1 - 2     3
Panetta        0 - 2     2    F Jenner       2 - 0     2
Roik           0 - 2     2    Horsey         1 - 1     2
Dance          0 - 1     1    Brothers       0 - 2     2
Talmo          0 - 1     1    Dalep          0 - 1     1
Teatro         0 - 1     1    Fulks          0 - 1     1

Shots on goal           58    Shots on goal           62
Saves made by (GA)      41    Saves made by (GA)      49
   Roik (21)         38          Dalep (8)         27
   General (0)        3          E Miller (1)      22
Penalties                8    Penalties               13
Penalty Minutes         16    Penalty Minutes         29
Power Play Chances       9    Power Play Chances       5
Power Play Goals         3    Power Play Goals         5
   Ca Bomberry        1          G Gait             2
   T Kilgour          1          F Jenner           1
   D Squire           1          Shearer            1
                                 Wills              1
Shorthanded Goals        0    Shorthanded Goals        2
   (None)                        G Gait             1
                                 Halladay           1
Loose Balls             92    Loose Balls            120
   Roik              14          Dalep             21
   Sombrotto         12          Cantabene         17
   Talmo             10          P Gait            10
Faceoffs Won            11    Faceoffs Won            23
   Hanford      (11-23)          Cantabene    (12- 4)
                                 Brothers     (11- 6)
                                 Fulks        ( 0- 1)

 *** STATS OFFICIAL BY VERIFY WITH WASHINGTON POWER ***